St James' Church

Vicar writes - 24 June 2007
Maggie Yew reflects on her recent trip and ministry with Christchurch, Banchang. Do read it and be encouraged and challenged. - Vicar

Wai Kit with some of the children from Rainbowland Child Development Centre, Ban Chang

If there was one verse that truly stood out to me during the internship period in Ban Chang, Thailand, it was from the Epistle of James which states that “pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.” (1:27)

I love how The Message Bible puts it across:
“Anyone who sets himself up as “religious” by talking a good game is self-deceived. This kind of religion is hot air and only hot air. Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight, and guard against corruption from the godless world.” (1:26-27)

For truly, it is more than the orphans and widows who need God; the homeless, the loveless, the unwanted all need to know of the hope that can be found only in the Person of Jesus who came that those who are lost may find eternal security, peace and rest in Him. True religion is also more than talking about loving the people around us. It calls for action. For ‘faith without works is dead.’

In the person of pastor Anong, a local Thai, I saw the compassion, love and heart of God working in and through her life. For her, there is no segregation between personal life and ministry life, no dichotomy between both private and public persona. Her life exemplifies the very character and nature of Christ. Besides handling the administration of the Kindergarten, she teaches English at two public schools, leads the youth and adult cells, runs the Children’s Church, teaches bible study classes, preaches and does visitations to poor kids and families in need of social assistance, she barely has time for herself. I never once saw her lose her temper, showed her frustrations (though there were many instances where she could have done so), complained that she was tired or upset. She always says, “ I am only 37 - if I do not teach the new leaders now, if I do not do the work now; I cannot wait until I am 50.”

I marvel at her dedication and energy; she is my inspiration and encouragement. She shares that God has given many things and that unless she brings the good news to those who are lost, Thailand would have no tomorrow. The people are helpless, searching for meaning in life - if those who know God, the hope of glory do not share, who would do the work?
She takes the approach that everyone is a friend to her, stranger or otherwise, and exhibits no fear, shame not discomfort when she chats with taxi drivers, students, the average person on the street and shares with great boldness about Jesus.

Her ministry and passion challenges me.

Here I am living in a city where its infrastructure rivals the world’s best, a city where technology is at its cutting edge best, a city where being the best is everything...even the churches are into the best of technologies, the best buildings structures, the best of everything in order to attract more people to its services. And yet, while I can boast about all that the church has to offer, I find it such a difficulty to share about Jesus to a world that needs a Savior and not the latest fad.

Ban Chang has the barest of equipment - just what is necessary to hold a church service. They don’t have the latest stereo systems, the best instruments, the coolest usher uniforms nor the most charismatic leaders. Yet, there is a genuine hunger here for the Word of God, a deep abiding love and respect for their pastors, an earnest seeking after the God who promises them hope and a reason for living when the future was bleak.
The Church suffered a break-in last year and lost a VCD player, a bass guitar and an electric guitar. They managed to replace the VCD player, and raised funds for a bass guitar, which they purchased beginning of this year. Still missing an electric guitar, a money box is passed around every Sunday to raise funds for its purchase. I look at the abundance of instruments, cables, mics and equipment that we have lying around, and the carelessness in our attitudes towards what we’ve been blessed with… and I feel ashamed.

What are we missing in our evangelism efforts? Why are our people not growing in Christ-likeness despite efforts to provide the best learning environment through bible studies, discipleship, cell groups and sermons? Why such a disinterest in the poor, the needy and those in pain? Perhaps in our desire to provide the best for our people, we have missed the point completely. For everything we do, these are merely a means for which we reach our goal, and that is God Himself. Unless we inculcate a genuine desire in our people for the things of God, for God himself, we will always be investing our resources into an empty and bottomless pit.

Unless and until we understand that the lost, the helpless, the homeless, the orphans and the widows need a hope and a reason for living, unless and until we understand He came for these that they might have life, and have it in abundance, unless and until we understand that we’ve been blessed with much in order than we may bless, unless and until we understand that faith without works is dead; that true religion calls for us to move out of our comfort zone…

...we will not understand the Father heart of God.